Clamp for electric wire fence



Feb, 14, 196i ZQELL R 2,972,007

CLAMP FOR ELECTRIC WIRE FENCE Filed Nov. 19, 1958 INVENTQR. Mz'lzon G. Zoe/(er.

A 7' TORNEXS.

United States Patent CLAMP FOR ELECTRIC WIRE FENCE Milton G. Zoe ller, Falls City, Nebr. (Reserve, Kans.) Filed Nov. 19, 1958, Ser. No. 775,064 1 Claim. '(Cl. 174-163) This invention relates to a clamp for. connecting an insulator to a post, and more particularly to connecting an insulator having an electrified fence post.

The principal object of my invention is to provide a clamp for securing an insulator to a fence post, the insulator being adapted to hold a wire charged with electricity to prevent animals from escaping from an enclosure around which the fence extends.

Other objects of the present invention are to provide a device of this character which is adapted to being secured to fence posts of different shapes and sizes; to provide a device of this character for attaching an electric wire to an insulator of a fence post wherein one arm of the clamp engages the fence post on one side thereof and a clip member engages the other side of a portion of the post in clamping arrangement; to provide means for securing the insulator to the clamping members which in turn are secured to the post; to provide means for securing the wire to the insulator; to .provide means on the post for preventing slippage of the clamp longitudinally of the post; to provide a clamp for a fence post which may be quickly assembled and disassembled therefrom, and to provide a device of this character simple and economical to manufacture.

In accomplishing these and other objects of my invention, I have provided improved details of structure the preferred forms of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of my invention shown attached to a fence post of substantially T-shape.

Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view thereof.

Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing a modified form of the fence post.

Fig. 4 is a further modified view of the fence post.

Fig. 5 is a further modified view of the fence post showing my clamp attached thereto.

Referring more in detail to the drawings:

1 designates a clamping device embodying the features of my invention shown attached to a post 2. The posts, as defined in this invention, are generally made of metal or other similar material and comprise, a flat bar 3 having oppositely disposed flanges 4 and 5 along one margin of the bar and shown in Fig. 1 to be slightly inset from one margin of the bar providing a projection or rib 6 extending outwardly from the flanges 4 and 5 .as illustrated in Fig. 1. The rib 6 is provided with spaced outwardly extending lugs 7 and 8. I have here illustrated only the two spaced lugs, but any number may be provided on the post as desired for placement of the wire fence at the desired distance from the ground as will later be shown.

The clamp 1 includes an elongated clamping bar 9 of a length to extend beyond the edge 10 of the flange 5 as illustrated in Fig. l and is provided with an opening 11 just outside the flange 5 as illustrated in Fig. 2. The end 12 is curved and bent upon itself as indicated at 13 to form a hook 14 for engaging the inside 15 of the flange 4. As illustrated in Fig. 1, the plate 9 engages 5 having a threaded end extending through the opening '19 extends. against the face of the flange 5 of the post and the end 11 in the enlarged portion of the clamping bar or plate 9. A clip or fastening plate 21 has an arm 22 and one end turned laterally forming a flange 23. The arm 22 is provided with an opening 24 through which the bolt The inner face of the arm 22 engages 26 .of the flange 23 engages against the side face 27 of the bar or plate 9, substantially between the opening 11 in the arm and the outer end thereof. A nut 28 engages the threaded end 20 of the bolt and tightening of the nut will clamp the insulator to the plate 9 and at the same time exert a pressure on the hook 14 and the clamping plate 21 to secure the clamp to the post. The bolt engages the side edge 10 of the flanges of the post to form a rigid structure (Fig. 2).

29 designates the electrified wire and is secured to the annular groove 30 in the insulator by a wire fastening device 31 as is the usual practice.

With the device assembled as described, the insulator will be held at right angles to the post and the wire will be spaced therefrom so that there will be no possibility of contact of the electrified wire wit-h the metal parts of the post or clamp due to the wind or other causes.

In Fig. 3 I have illustrated a modified form of post wherein the post 32 is of angle shape having sides 33 and 34. The parts of the clamp proper are substantially identical as described in connection with Figs. 1 and 2 except that the end 35 of the clamping plate is not turned to form the hook 14 as illustrated in Fig. 2, but is substantially at right angles to the plate or arm 9 as indicated at 36. The clamping arm 9 is generally made of bendable metal so that the exact hook or lateral portion may be formed by the user of the device at the time of placement on the post. As the other parts of the clamping member are substantially identical, they have been given the same numbers as in connection with Figs. 1 and 2.

In Fig. 4 I have shown a further modified form of post wherein the post is designated 37 and is substantially U-shaped having sides 38 and 39 with the arms flared outwardly slightly at their extreme ends as indicated at 40 and 41. The arm or plate 9 has a hook 42 which engages the end 41 of the arm and the end 43 of the clamping plate or clip 21 engages the outwardly flared portion of the arm 40 as best illustrated in Fig. 4.

In Fig. 5 I have illustrated the post 44 as being substantially round in cross-section and the arm or plate 9 has a rounded end 45 providing a slight hook 46 for engaging the post 44. The clip 21 and the flange 23 thereof is of substantially the same shape as the clip shown in Figs. 1 and 2, but the flange 23 is slightly longer to accommodate the thickness of the post 44. It will be obvious that the clamping plate 9 is shorter in this form of the invention than -it is in the other forms of the invention.

The clip 21 shown in Fig. 3 has a shorter flange 23 than that shown in any of the other figures, but this is for the reason that the arm 34 is of less thickness than the flanges 5 on the post 2 of the invention as shown in Fig. 1 and in Fig. 2 when the rib 6 bears against the plate 9.

It will be obvious that in the invention shown in Figs. 3, 4 and 5 the clamping member is slidable vertically on the post to the desired height.

It will further be obvious that I have provided an improved clamping device for fastening of insulators to the posts for electric fences and the like in a convenient manner and one which is adaptable to various forms of posts which may be quickly assembled and disassembled.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: In combination with a metal post of substantially U- shaped cross-section and having arms presenting outer surfaces which taper outwardly terminating in outer edges, apparatus for securing an electrically charged wire on said post comprising, a clamping arm extending between the outer edges of said post arms and having an opening therein spaced outwardly of the outer edge of one of said post arms and a hooked end engaging the outer edge of the other of said post arms, a fastening clip having an opening adjacent one end thereof, said fastening clip opening aligning with the opening in the clamping arm, said clip being held substantially parallel to and spaced from said clamping arm by having said clip end adjacent said clip opening contacting said tapered outer surface of said one post arm and the other end of said fastening clip turned laterally toward and contacting said clamping arm, a bolt extending transversely through said openings in said clamping arm and fastening clip, a nut threadedly engaged with said bolt for drawing said clamping arm and fastening cliptogether causing said fastening clip to be urged away from said other post arm and against said bolt which urges said clamping arm away from said other post arm, movement of said clamping arm being resisted by said hooked end of said clamping arm engaging with said outer edge of said other post arm providing tensile forces in said clamping arm, an insulator secured to said bolt, and means securing said wire to said insulator.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Korns Oct. 21, 1913 1,343,930 Neely June 22, 1920 1,532,726 Berg Apr. 7, 1925 2,334,856 Atkinson Nov. 23, 1943 2,423,785 Markman July 8, 1947 2,537,719 Tuepker Jan. 9, 1951 2,691,695 Hanson et al. Oct. 12, 19-54 FOREIGN PATENTS 825,505 Germany Dec. 20, 1951 i 

